Le Croisty - Plouay, 24.5
km

There's something about Mari
- she's World Champion

A powerful and confident
Mari Holden finally fulfilled her tremendous potential at today's Elite
Women's Time Trial championships in Plouay, France. After Holden's silver
medal in the Woman's TT at the Sydney Olympics behind the unstoppable
Zijlaard, the Colorado Springs resident knew that she had the legs to
produce a good ride at the World's.

Sweeter still,
Holden denied aging French champion Jeanne Longo her 12th world championship
title in front of her cocorico home crowd. But at 41, Longo is just
getting too old to dominate on a top level and the Grenoblois was visibly
delighted to add yet another cycling medal to her huge collection.

Another windy day
with occasional showers graced the Breton coast and provided today's
testers with a strong headwind and wet roads. Norwegian rider Sorun
Flataas set the fast time midway through the Women's race, but when
the last few riders hit the start house in Le Croisty, it was clear
that the Norsk girl would likely miss the podium.

Rasa Polikeviciute
of Lithuania was the first rider to beat Flataas' time and go over a
44km/hr average speed. But just behind her were Longo and Holden. What
a contrast in style; Longo was spinning a small gear looking for speed
aboard her trusty Hooker Elite time trial bike, while Holden was pounding
a huge gear on her yellow Cannondale TT iron.

When Longo set
the fastest time at the intermediate point after 12km on the hill at
St Anne-des-Bois, she looked fast, but when Holden powered through,
she looked slower than Longo, but it was deceptive. In fact, Mari was
15 seconds up on Longo with the fastest intermediate split and leading
the World's.

Although Longo pulled
back 10 seconds on the last hard climb to Questenen, Holden powered
home and took her first world title just 3" ahead of the Frenchwoman.
Visibly moved on the podium as the Star Spangled Banner played, Holden
blinked back her tears as the world noticed something different about
Mari - her World Championship jersey!